MERGE TO GYRENE. 
471 
journey much better than most horses would have done, and much 
better perhaps than we had any reason to expect from the nature of 
the pass which they descended. It will scarcely be necessary to add 
that on reaching the bottom of the precipice (for so we must call it) 
we stopped to recruit the exhausted strength of all parties before we 
set out for the town : our horses had had several very heavy falls, but 
fortunately experienced no material injury ; and after leading them 
on till they were sufficiently recovered, we were able to mount them 
again and continue our route along the sea-side to Derna, where we 
arrived in the evening and found the Adventure at anchor at the 
roadstead. We lost no time in waiting upon Captain Smyth, who 
informed us that he had succeeded in completing the coast line 
between Derna and Alexandria. 
The town of Derna is situated at the mouth of a large ravine, and 
is built on a low point of land running out from the foot of a range 
of barren mountains distant about a mile from the coast. It is sup- 
posed to be built on the site of the ancient Darnis, but there are 
scarcely any remains of building at the present day which have 
claims to particular notice. It is amply provided with water 
(the first requisite for a town in hot climates), and well situated 
at the entrance of a large ravine, or fiumara, along which a part 
of it is built. 
The houses are much better than those at Bengazi and are sur- 
rounded by gardens producing abundance of grapes, melons, figs, 
bananas, oranges, greengages, and other fruit; they have also the 
